-Rex-
"Very good. As we move onto the next set of medical protocol, feel free to stop at any time if you feel dizzy or weak. Next protocol: Left hand, set one. Fingers to thumb. Begin." The medical droid observing the recovery of the girls was facing them and demonstrating what he wanted to see. Maureen, Natalie, and Caitlin were all sitting across from the droid on a cot, staring at it with glazed eyes and copying his movements. They were wearing the standard medical robes, with a change of clothes for each on another cot.
I had just received orders from the Jedi Temple to bring the girls there, for an 'examination'. Based on their looks right now, they were pretty much through with examinations. (Each had had extensive nerve damage in their hands, so surgery was necessary for proper recovery.) I took my helmet off and went to speak to one of the clones on duty, Jek.
"How much longer? General Skywalker just messaged me and said to get a move on."
He walked over to one of the many beeping machines and pressed a few buttons. "Not much longer, sir. Their recovery is going smoothly." I nodded and turned back to face them. Caitlin noticed me first and gave me a small smile, which I returned. She sighed and rolled her eyes at the droid. I shrugged and leaned against the wall, my helmet under my arm. She laughed, hiding it with a cough.
Finally, after five minutes, the droid told them they were finished. Without another word, they leapt off of the cot and walked towards me. "Hello, Captain!" Natalie greeted me first. "What are we doing today? Blowing up a ship? Rescuing citizens?" This had become a running joke with them. Every morning, this is how I was greeted.
I smiled and said, "No, you three are going to the capital of the Republic to meet the Jedi Council."
Maureen laughed and said, "That works. That works fine."
"Good. Now get changed and go up to the Command Deck. Jek will show you the way," I said, gesturing to the clone on duty.
They nodded and walked towards the cot. I turned and left for Command. This ship wasn't the biggest one we had, but it certainly wasn't the smallest. Each Republic frigate is equipped with at least ten medium sized ships, for bringing in supplies to ground troops and citizens. Ahsoka had somehow nabbed us one of the larger ones for this mission, and during our last holocron meeting earlier this morning she had said Skywalker wasn't too angry. He had said he understood perfectly.
That had been bothering me. Understood what, exactly? The need for our group to rescue our friends and caretakers? Or how I felt about Caitlin? I put it aside for now; there were more pressing matters to deal with.
Like how we had to travel through Separatist-infested space to get to Coruscant the quickest. And that Caitlin, Maureen, and Natalie were wanted, dead or alive, by the Seps.
Just an average day in the life of a clone.
When I got to the deck, I found that the meeting had already begun. I cursed silently, but I slid into my spot next to Link. He looked over at me, then leaned in and whispered, "Nothing's really happening, they're debating whether or not to fight for Earth."
I looked at him in disbelief. Nothing's really happening, eh? Just deciding whether or not to let billions of people die under the rule of our sworn enemy. I took a deep breath and focused on the current conversation, between Ahsoka, Generals Kenobi, Skywalker, and Windu. I could see Cody standing at attention in the background behind General Kenobi, and I vaguely wondered how long he had been standing there like that.
"The trouble about this planet is that it is lacking in even the most basic of technology, and they have no means of interspace travel." General Windu was saying. "Even Tatooine and Ryloth have that advantage."
"It's not like we can't supply them with the technology, Master," General Skywalker said dismissively, crossing his arms. General Kenobi started to stroke his beard.
"Masters, if I may?" Ahsoka said quietly, waiting for permission. Windu nodded and gave her the floor. She continued, "I have been researching this planet, and from what little readouts I've gotten, it seems to be that it is extremely mineral-rich. Every known metal is available in some mass quantity, on average over two hundred clicks of each. The fauna and flora is also extremely diverse, on the same level of Naboo and Alderan." She walked forward and put a chip into the holocron. Images of the different plant and animal life began to flash as she continued, "It's people are extremely diverse. A little self-centered, but in general the human race on Earth has good intentions.
"Earth is a beautiful place, Masters. It has culture, history, traditions… It's really no different from any system here, besides the fact that they are behind in the technology area. The reason they're so varied within one system is that they had to do what we did with a thousand systems in only one. I think, after reading a rough description on most of the systems in the Republic, it is safe to say that Earth is one of the most diverse systems out there."
I was impressed. Everyone else was, too. General Skywalker smiled at her and said, "Good work, Snips." He looked back at the group and said, "So, Master Windu? What's the plan? Abandon or save?" We all looked towards him, waiting.
Finally, he sighed and said, "I guess I really don't have a choice. Captain Rex!" I snapped to attention and said, "Yessir?"
"As soon as the girls are on Coruscant, I'm giving the all-out signal for a raid on Earth to free it of the Separatists. Get them here as fast as you can."
I saluted him as I replied, "Yessir!" He nodded once, unsmiling, and shut down. As his image flicked off, I turned to the others and said, "They should be up any minute, sirs."
Kenobi nodded and turned to Skywalker. While they discussed something else, I turned to Ahsoka and said, "Thanks, kid."
She smirked and said, "No problem. I want to meet them face to face. And for that to happen, they have to be alive. I'm really curious about Earth now that I've done some basic research on it."
I grinned in the safety of my helmet, thinking when Caitlin and I tried to start extinguishing our curiosity about each other's lives. "There's a lot to learn about it. I'd be ready to sit for a while."
She raised her brows but did not comment, because at that moment, Caitlin and the others walked in. I smiled at Caitlin, and gestured them forward. They stepped into the holoprojector's views, and smiled sheepishly when the Generals and Commander looked at them.
General Kenobi spoke first. "Welcome! I am Jedi Master Kenobi, and this is Anakin Skywalker. His Padawan is Ahsoka Tano." As the greetings went around, I slipped the information disk into the pad and waited for General Skywalker to begin giving them the rundown.
"So, as you will be pleased to learn, we have just been granted permission to start a Republic campaign in your system. I was surprised that it went through so fast, but that is not important. You have started a rebellion that will hopefully regain control of your planet." He looked towards me, and I stepped up.
"We've been monitoring the situation there for the last two days. We've found out several things," I began, pushing a button that brought up an image I had found on one of the system's newscasts. "It seems you three have become symbols of the rebellion- they are calling you 'The Butterflies'." The image was a poster that depicted the three girls, each standing in a heroic pose and looking of into the distance. Words were scribbled on the edges, words that I couldn't read. "Another thing- it seems that Count Dooku had been waiting for a chance to begin the invasion. That's why the bombs were going off after we got you from prison."
General Kenobi continued, "After your rescue, he ordered three things to happen: one, to kill several world leaders and thereby gain control of your political system even further; two, a full-scale massacre throughout the world; and three, issue a warrant for your arrests." I glanced over at the girls; they looked thoroughly shocked and slightly horrified. Caitlin had started to bit her lip, Natalie had a hand over her mouth and one over her heart, and Maureen was just standing there, jaw thrust out and a defiant glint in her eye.
General Skywalker finished, "So that is why we are bringing you to our Capitol- for your and your system's safety."
It was a lot to take in. The look on Caitlin's face was confused, but she took a breath and looked up at Kenobi. "What do we need to do?"
"For now? Stay alive." He crossed his arms and said, "As grim as it sounds, this is a very serious situation, and we cannot take any risks."
I turned to them quickly and said, "If the symbols of freedom, you three, are captured or killed, then the system will have basically lost. It needed motivation, you gave the people of your planet just that. Now, it would be best to get far away from the Separatists."
She nodded, but did not speak. Natalie and Maureen were looking down at the ground, when I noticed that they were holding hands, tightly. I realized that they had reached their limit, so I stepped forward, said, "Thank you, sirs. We shall arrive at Coruscant shortly." They all nodded and bowed. I shut the power down and turned to face them again. Their faces were sick with worry and fear. I hesitated; I wasn't trained to deal with the effects of war. Only war itself.
They stood facing me, waiting for me to speak and comfort them as they had comforted my men and me. I couldn't. I went through that sickening fear everyday; I had been trained for it and had come to expect it. They had been thrust into the middle of it all, at the most intense level of war, and they were lost.
I gestured them to follow me. I lead them back to the hospital wing. Natalie and Maureen walked in without a word and sat down on a cot, and held each other silently. I watched them for a moment before I turned to face Caitlin. She stared, then smiled sadly and went to Natalie and Maureen.
Not knowing what else to do, I turned from the room and left without saying anything. Once outside, I took of my helmet. I wiped my brow and sighed. I should have done something to comfort them. Their situation just keeps getting worse and worse, and I should be telling them it'll all be okay. That's what... that's what friends do, they comfort. I stopped and realized that I didn't know how to do that.
"Rex!" I turned and saw Caitlin coming out of the wing. She smiled as brightly as she could, and walked up to me. I smiled back and waited for her to say what she wanted to say. "I... I never really thanked you... for everything." She began shyly, glancing up at me and blushing. Her hair fell around her shoulders, and I ached to tell her that she looked...beautiful.
"Oh! Uh... No need. It was my duty to protect you." She smiled for real, hesitated for a moment, and then threw her arms around my neck. I froze, surprised."Thank you!" She whispered. She stepped back and smiled again before turning back to her room.
I was frozen to the floor for a few minutes. The thing that shook me out of the surprise was my com link beeping and Link yelling, "Separatist ships, Captain! Get up to the Command deck- AHH!" The com link went static. And there goes the communication.
The ship shuddered violently, I put my helmet on, and I raced up to the the deck, hoping against hope that we weren't already doomed. But I somehow knew better.
MINDSPRING- Eh... This chapter felt clunky. Necessary, but really clunky. I couldn't find any way around it, but at least I got needed things situated.
Please review! I don't mean to sound rude, but if you read, please review!
